Robotic manipulator including actuating unit

Abstract

A pair of actuatable gripping jaws are secured to a mounting head which is slidably mounted on a support by a pair of guides. The mounting head is of unitary construction and includes a fluid operated motor integral therewith for actuating the jaws at any point along the stroke of the mounting head. One of the guides is defined by the drive shaft of a fluid operated piston and cylinder which reciprocably drives the mounting head. A rigid fluid conduit coupled with the mounting head for supplying fluid to the motor defines the other guide.

We claim: 
     
       1. Apparatus for manipulating a workpiece, comprising: a support;   actuatable means for selectively engaging said workpiece and having a reciprocable input for actuating and deactuating said engaging means;   means for mounting said engaging means for reciprocable movement on said support, said mounting means including   (1) a mounting head for unitary, substantially solid construction,   (2) means for mounting said engaging means on said mounting head,   (3) means connected between said support and said mounting head for driving said mounting head to reciprocate and for slideably supporting said mounting head in spaced relationship to said support, and   (4) means including an elongate rod connected between said support and said mounting head for preventing rotation of said head about the axis along which said head reciprocates; and   means for actuating and deactuating said actuatable means, said actuating and deactuating means and including   (1) a first bore in said mounting head and defining a fluid chamber,   (2) a piston slideably disposed within said fluid chamber,   (3) means for drivingly connecting said piston with said reciprocable input,   (4) a pair of coaxial, cylindrical fluid conduits within said rod for delivering fluid to and from said head for respectively actuating and deactuating the actuating means, and   (5) means within said head for placing said fluid delivering means in fluid communication with said fluid chamber.